


Fight Fire with Fire

by almostkun



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cooking, Established Relationship, I Don't Even Know, I'm tagging anyway, Kun can't say no, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Slice of Life, Summer, Sweat, and Jaehyun knows it, but like VERY MILD, i should've been writing my thesis, nothing happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-06 03:49:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18843016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almostkun/pseuds/almostkun
Summary: The comfort of the mattress and Jaehyun’s warmth lulled him to sleep. The last thing Kun remembered before falling asleep was a whispered promise of a homemade meal, while the sultry air of the room embraced him little by little.





	Fight Fire with Fire

**ღ**

This was Kun’s first summer in Korea and he already despised it. Mornings were too hot and the constant rains in the evening made the way back home long and distasteful. He first believed the rain would be a comfort for the smothering heat, but it was more of an annoyance. It made public transportation impossibly late and continually flooded the street where his office was located. In these days, Kun was surly and never on time and he hated all of it. According to his boyfriend, this was just the beginning of a traditional Korean summer —hot, humid and smoggy. Kun chose not to believe, a mistake he quickly realized.

.

Just yesterday, it rained. It started at noon and fell intermittently throughout the day. A little different from the torrential summer storms Kun had seen until then, perhaps a sign of the end of the monsoon season. The rain stopped and came back a couple of times, in varying volume and strength, and it lasted way past the moment he set his feet home.

When Kun laid on the couch to watch TV, his head resting on Jaehyun’s thighs, the rain slowed down to a drizzle and stopped completely not long after that. Waves of heat came up from the streets and made their way inside the small living room, interlacing with the apartment's warmth. The air became heavy and stifling in seconds. Kun sighed.

As he slipped in his pajama pants, Kun hated Jaehyun for making his mind into not buying an air-conditioner. He was transported to the afternoon in the middle of spring where they had money to buy it, but Jaehyun had other priorities. _Who needs an air-conditioner when they can buy the latest Nintendo console? Anyway. We won’t even use it. The government is still promoting that energy saving program every winter and summer._ These were his boyfriend’s exact words and Kun was about to retort with a clever suggestion, but the moment he saw Jaehyun hopping into the game store with a pile of games in his arms and the goofiest smile on his face, Kun knew there was nothing he could do.

Kun was weak.

He was glad they moved to Korea during spring, at last. Summer was difficult, but they were absolutely not going to survive the Korean winter without a proper heating system. They should have chosen a pricier apartment with built-in thermostat, Kun thought, but there was only much they could afford with the earnings of a newly graduated graphic designer and a programmer with little experience.

Before moving, Kun only knew the Chinese weather. Less air humidity, more sizzling temperatures. Their room in Shanghai felt hot during summer. Bearable hot. A very different situation from the present one, the devilish and stifling sauna they slept in nowadays.

The late night hours were spent shifting in bed, trying to sleep but failing at doing so. Kun stared at his boyfriend with envy for sleeping so peacefully, years of experience with the Korean weather on his back. Kun stared in hopes that it would tire him enough to ignore the room’s heat.

The room was pitch black and Jaehyun’s body was enshrouded by it, but minute after minute Kun’s eyes were getting used to the lack of illumination and distinguished Jaehyun’s silhouette from the sea of darkness.

He moved closer and looked at Jaehyun and loved his face, or what could be seen, as the sheets covered a good portion of it. If there was any source of light Kun would be able to see the faint pink color that was always present on his cheeks, but in the dark everything was painted in a different tonality of grey. Furniture, skin, everything.

Jaehyun’s hair was splattered above the linen fabric covering the pillow. As time passed by, Kun saw droplets of sweat trailing down his face, leaving a wet path on his jaw, only to slip onto the sheets later. Kun moved his hand to wipe the sweat, but it never fulfilled its purpose. Kun was afraid of startling Jaehyun awake.

He focused on his boyfriend’s slow breathing. Jaehyun had his lips slightly open and he snored lightly, just a small sound that Kun could barely hear. His chest, glued to the mattress, moved rhythmically, and Kun’s only thought that moment was that sleeping on his stomach wouldn’t give his back the appropriate rest nor a good time for his neck.

Kun kept on staring for a long time. The more time he spent staring the more he was able to see. He got lost in his boyfriend’s face and features. _How is he so pretty even when sleeping?_ Kun asked himself, amazed. When he was about to find the answer to his wondering exhaustion finally prevailed and he felt like slipping into a warm slumber.

That was when Jaehyun got up, only to turn on the ceiling fan, that quickly started to creak its high-pitched screak as it accelerated. There was no improvement in airflow.

“Babe, you’re soaked in sweat.” Jaehyun whispered sleepily as he dropped by Kun’s side, after taking off the shirt he was wearing. “Take a shower.”

Kun groaned in annoyance and made his way to the bathroom. The shower relaxed him and made him forget the hotness for a while. It lasted just enough time for him to go back to the bedroom. He didn’t forget to turn off the useless ceiling fan. His skin was still wet from the shower when he sat in the bed and made tired movements to reach his boyfriend.

The comfort of the mattress and Jaehyun’s warmth lulled him to sleep. The last thing Kun remembered before falling asleep was a whispered promise of a homemade meal, while the sultry air of the room embraced him little by little.

.

When Kun woke up, he felt a thin linen covering his body and sticking to him. He had transpired in his sleep and the sheets felt nasty under his body. Upon opening his eyes, he saw that the blinds had been closed, but not completely, and the light coming inside casted a shadow over the bed that reminded Kun of the sunset.

At the moment, he worried that he had slept for the whole morning and into the afternoon and through that as well, loosing his whole day. He was half wrong. There were a few minutes left until the end of the morning.

Kun got up and felt not for the first time, disgusting. Where he once could feel damp he now felt sticky to the touch. The wet feeling under his skin was gone and the room felt less humid than before. Right now, it was just another hot summer day like any other, the muggy hell of last night was now only a memory. Kun smiled.

He chose to take a shower to get rid of the nasty feeling and cool down. For how long the nice and clean feeling would last, he could only wonder. Two, maybe, three hours. Even less.

Kun changed into shorts and the biggest cotton t-shirt he could find on his boyfriend’s side of the closet, but no underwear. The air was warm, but to feel the breeze on his skin was still refreshing.

Jaehyun wasn’t home and Kun asked himself of his whereabouts and of the purpose of going out in the scorching heat of the midday sun. _Probably to buy our homemade meal._ Kun smiled, then frowned. _I hope he used sunscreen._

Kun waited. He changed the bed sheets and started sorting garments to put in the washing machine. The washer started its work with the first batch of clothes and Kun made his way to the sofa, to wait.

.

When Jaehyun arrived, it was way past noon and Kun was playing video games on the couch. Before he could start complaining about his promised meal, Jaehyun bent over and kissed the top of his head.

“I had to find a pot big enough to cook two chickens at the same time. I’m making ginseng chicken soup for us today.” Jaehyun explained himself before making his way to the kitchen to start the preparations for their late lunch. “It won’t be too long.”

Kun hoped these words were true, because he could hear his stomach growling louder. He carried on playing his big adventure game and it wasn’t of any help that he needed to cook in-game and watch the character eat the delicious looking cell-shaded food.

After a while Jaehyun sat down by his side and tried to make some small talk. “The monsoon is finally over, but I don’t think Korea will be any less humid.” He then looked at Kun with his big puppy eyes. Kun knew that look and he knew what to wait from that look. He shifted his attention back to the game and waited for Jaehyun to ask whatever he wanted to ask.

“I need you to chop the green onions and prepare the sauce while I give the chickens a salt bath. Just to make it quicker. Hyrule can wait a little.” Jaehyun reached out, waiting. Kun yielded.

.

It wasn’t much work to do. A simple dipping sauce, combining soy sauce, diced onions and green chili pepper. A tablespoon of white vinegar to make it sour and just a tad of honey, because Jaehyun liked it sweet. Kun made another dipping sauce, a spicy one, with soy sauce, salt, red pepper flakes and lots of ground black pepper grinded right then and there. Kun loved the spicy smell in the air. He mixed and sprinkled some sesame seeds into the sauces before wrapping both containers in plastic wrapper and setting aside. The green onions were chopped quickly. Kun washed his hands and watched his boyfriend work.

“It’s the hottest day of the year. It’s called _chobok_. There will be other two days like this before the end of summer. It was all over the news this morning, the rain season's finally over.” He flashed a smile at Kun then started laughing. “I hope you’ll stop wetting the bed.”

Kun laughed and walked towards him. “It’s not my fault. The Korean summer’s like living inside an oven twenty four by seven.” He back hugged Jaehyun and pressed their bodies closer, trying to look at his boyfriend's hands at work from above the shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Jaehyun asked while he dried one of the hens with a paper towel and trimmed the fat around its cavity.

“Watching you.” Kun answered, giving Jaehyun a little peck on the nape and tightening his grip on the waist.

“Bothering me, you mean.” Jaehyun laughed. Kun tiptoed and had a good view of Jaehyun’s fist going inside one of the hens, stuffing it completely with rice, then a handful of garlic cloves and finally a fresh ginseng root.

“Oh, babe.” Kun said between giggles. “I didn’t know you were into that.” Kun teased then kissed the back of Jaehyun’s ear. “We could try it later. But first, give me some more garlic. You know I love it.” Kun asked, but he didn’t know if Jaehyun listened, as he had started laughing.

“Go back to Hyrule, Kun. They need their hero.” Jaehyun asked after calming down. “I’ll give you extra garlic if you stop disturbing me.” He gave the hen more garlic cloves even though Kun didn’t let go.

A dried jujube and a spoonful of rice were pushed inside the chicken before Jaehyun started the process with the other one.

“But I want to be with you.” Kun complained, but relaxed his grip around Jaehyun as he reached for the large pot over the stove and washed his hands. Kun watched as his boyfriend fit both chickens inside the pot with some leftover rice and eight cups of water precisely measured. Jaehyun closed the lid and turned on the fire.

“Thirty minutes over medium-high heat then forty minutes over medium heat. Did you reach Goron City?” Jaehyun turned around and tried to move while Kun went back to hugging him. Kun used his arms and legs to wrap himself around his torso.

“No, I don’t know where to buy the fireproof elixir you told me.” Kun looked back. “To the living room, Jaehyun.”

“I am not some sort of Snorlax for you to attach yourself to me and wait for me to carry you around.” Jaehyun complained but carried Kun anyway, with his arms and legs wide open, making as hard as possible for him to hold his grip.

When they finally reached the room, Jaehyun was panting hard. “I am never carrying you like this again.” He said while Kun let go of him and dropped onto the couch.

.

Jaehyun watched as Kun played the game, occasionally handing over the controller so Jaehyun could overcome an enemy deemed too weak or too uninteresting to kill —like the game’s bosses—, while they waited for the chickens to cook thoroughly. Once in a while, one of them would go back to the kitchen, open the pot's lid and ladle some broth on top of both chickens. When the cooking time was almost over, Kun set the table —a low coffee table—, grabbing chopsticks, spoons, individual plates and napkins. He didn’t fancy a complex drink, so he grabbed two long cups and filled them with fresh water only. Yet he craved for some kiwis and watermelons and all sorts of summer fruits, but they only had a melon, that he cut it into cubes and set aside. Finally, he brought two cushions and set them one at each end of the table.

While Kun busied himself with other preparations, Jaehyun pre-heated the earthenware pots with a little water inside. When the timer rung out loud, he turned off the heat under the big pot and placed a hen inside of each individual pot, not forgetting to add broth to it. When the soup started to sizzle, he turned off the heat and grabbed the pots, one at a time, and placed at the table. He then sprinkled green onions and grinded ground black pepper on top of each chicken. “Done.”

They sat down on the cushions and ate in moderate silence. Jaehyun’s back was facing the window and Kun’s front was being bathed in whatever sunlight Jaehyun’s frame let pass through. For a moment, the only sounds were the ones of chewing and of chopsticks being set aside and picked up again.

At some point, Kun burned his tongue with the boiling hot soup and Jaehyun laughed at him. “Take your time, babe. It won’t run from you.”

“It’s so hot. I am sweating buckets, _gosh_.” Kun complained. He took off his shirt and used it to wipe his face, collarbone and torso. “Why do Koreans eat hot food in such weather?” He didn’t know if the temperatures had risen suddenly or if it was just the food, but it was scorching hot again, and he could feel his skin warmer in the parts bathed by sunlight.

“It’s an old saying amongst Koreans, _fight fire with fire._ We eat hot food to fight the hot weather. My mother once told me that when we eat cold food, our stomach goes cold but the rest of the body is still hot. So we eat hot food to make the whole body have the same temperature.” Jaehyun explained with a knowing smile, looking at Kun the whole time. He wasn’t unfazed by the heat, his face was bright red and he was sweating a lot, but still nothing compared to Kun’s situation. “This is the basic recipe. Some people add other things, but my mother taught me the original way. And you have to eat the whole chicken too.”

Kun had his hair dripping wet and sticking to his forehead, as if he had taken a shower just then. Although he needed to use his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face at every bite of the chicken, he didn’t stop and ate everything. The glutinous rice was chewy and it had absorbed all the flavors from the soup while cooking. The garlic cloves and the ginseng were hot and every bite of them set his whole body on fire. Kun used a spoon to drink the steaming soup and he could feel the warmth inside him, going down. The chicken was tender and he could rip through it using only his chopsticks. He seasoned it with the salt-based sauce, that tasted spicier and not in a single bit sweet, unlike the other one that Jaehyun quickly devoured.

When he finished eating the whole chicken, Kun felt satiated. His jaw was tired from all the chewing and his lips were glistering from the chicken’s fat. He used his napkin to wipe the slippery feeling from his mouth and drank the whole cup of water, small drops slipping to his chin and going down on his neck and chest.

Jaehyun looked at him nonchalantly and smiled while finishing his own chicken and setting his chopsticks aside. He hummed contently as he licked his lips and wiped all the perspiration on his face, that was cooling down from bright red to the usual faint pink that Kun loved. “Do you want the melon now?” Jaehyun asked still holding a smile on his lips.

“I’ll bring it. _Sit down._ ” Kun ordered when he saw Jaehyun meaning to get up. He adjusted his shorts and moved to the kitchen, taking the bowl and washing two forks.

They ate the melon pieces slowly and in a comfortable silence, sitting side by side. The fruit tasted sweet and refreshing. Every now and then their forearms brushed against each other’s and Kun could feel their skin sticking. Once again, disgusting. He wanted a shower.

“I need a shower right now, my skin is sticky. It’s so _nasty._ ” Jaehyun mouthed Kun’s thoughts. “A hot shower will be great. That’s just what I need.” Jaehyun set his fork aside, got up and made his way to their room, to fetch a clean towel for himself.

“No, no, no. I’ll shower first.” Kun put the bowl atop the table and ran to the bathroom. “Just look at me, I _need_ to shower first.” He walked into the bathroom to find Jaehyun stripping his sweatpants. No cloth beneath it, just skin. “You should have invited me to your private show, Jaehyunie. Very pleasant.” He smirked and reached for Jaehyun’s thighs.

“Not as pleasant of a show as the one you put up for me, _Kunie._ ” Jaehyun mocked and his face was back to bright red. “I see you’re not wearing underwear today.” He smirked and moved closer to Kun. “I had food for the eyes to accompany the food for the body.” His hand touched Kun as if to confirm his supposition.

Kun felt his whole body warm and for the first time since waking up it wasn’t because of the weather.

“We could shower together.” Jaehyun continued as he offered Kun a big grin, that showed his perfect teeth and dimples. “ _Fight fire with fire_ , you know?”

Jaehyun laid his forearms on Kun’s shoulders and rubbed circles on the back of Kun’s neck, expectantly.

Kun was weak.

**ღ**

**Author's Note:**

> One day I'll justify every paragraph, just wait and see. This was fun to write, regardless. Not beta-d or anything.


End file.
